O little town
by Carmabaeji - Lively Aria
Summary: What can Donna do to help Josh?


O little Town  
  
by Aria  
  
Rating: Same as the show.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them - no money is coming or going into my bank account due to this. You can check the statement.  
  
Spoilers: Noel.  
  
Synopsis: what can Donna do to help Josh?  
  
  
  
-WW-  
  
'Carol of the bells' that was the name of the song. It was a Christmas tune - that one with the 'ding dong' in one part whilst everyone else sings, I've always loved that song. The carolers are amazing, they're singing their parts, all perfectly in tune, I have enough memory of music to know that - they have their bells, and four or five parts going at the same time. They obviously rehearse together.  
  
I was about to say something to Josh when I noticed his hands. I happened to glance down for a moment, when I saw his hands dart to his waist, when I looked up at his face I saw him gasp - terrible pain. For a minute I thought something had happened to him, someone had hit him, but then I realised, the shooting. He must have been reliving the shooting. I couldn't think of anything to do first off, I let him stand there in pain for a minute before I said anything. I felt stupid.  
  
"Josh, come on, let's go." I said, too much of a coward to ask about the ... what ever I was supposed to call it. I squeezed his elbow, and we removed ourselves from the crowd, and I directed us around a corner.  
  
We walked for a while in silence, I don't know what Josh was doing, but I was mulling over what to say in my head. I wanted to ask him about it - but I wasn't sure how much I was allowed to pry into. When I'd formed our conversation in my head I noticed the we'd walked quite a distance. I could see the hospital in the distance, on the corner of an intersection not far away. The carolers were far behind us, and the stores were far ahead. There was no music.  
  
"Josh?" I began, saying what seemed like the first words we'd spoken in a long time.  
  
"Yep." he said, I'm sure he sped up a little just as I spoke.  
  
"Back there, in front of the White House...."  
  
"Yep?" he urged me on in spite of himself.  
  
"Were you imagining the shooting?" Might as well just come out with it.  
  
He stopped on the side walk, either to give me a couple of seconds to catch up or to respond to me. When I approached it was the former rather than the latter, as he started up again, although at a slightly slower pace. "I relive it sometimes." he answered eventually, as though it were the simplest thing in the world.  
  
I was dumbstruck, I probably let out a little 'oh' but we kept walking. I couldn't help but be curious. "Do you do that often?" I asked when I'd worked up the nerve.  
  
"Nope, only when I hear music."  
  
I frowned, Christmas was a musical season - how was he going to avoid music, but wait..."All music?" I ventured, not wanting my boss to miss out on the holiday magic.  
  
"Yeah... Brass quintets, mariachi bands, famous 'cellists...."  
  
He must have been in terrible pain during the Yoyo Mah concert. "Singing?"  
  
"All music."  
  
"Josh," I said sympathetically. Pursing my lips and frowning.  
  
It was the holiday season he had to hear music. I didn't want him to be in pain, but I had to know something. "Josh." a different tone, more - listen up -  
  
I stopped and opened my mouth "O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie."  
  
He stopped in his tracks and turned to face me.  
  
"Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by."  
  
He was walking back that extra five feet that he walked when I stopped. People have started frowning when they pass me.  
  
"Yet in the dark streets shineth the everlasting light."  
  
He's standing in front of me now, a little smile on his face. "Donna, what are you doing?" he asks me - trying not to laugh.  
  
"The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight."  
  
I smile back and him, and debate singing the second verse. A quick look at the amassing crowd makes my decision for me, and I promptly shut my mouth. "Are you feeling okay?" he asks me once I've stopped. He thinks I'm insane.  
  
Ah! But there's a method to my madness. "Were you thinking about the shooting?"  
  
He frowns and then smiles at me. "No." he replies, his smile broadening even further.  
  
"So not all music," I suggest, leaning towards him, emphasizing my point with a poke on his chest.  
  
"Evidently not." he says, his smile growing by the minute.  
  
"Come on lets keep going, you join in." I walk around him, and we continue down the hill.  
  
"But it wouldn't be music then." he's whining again.  
  
"Yes it would," I protest back, and can't resist one jab at him. "It would just be a different type of music - bad music."  
  
I hear him laugh from my side.  
  
"I'm going to expose to different types of music until we can get you back in an orchestra pit."  
  
"So what are you going to do, turn up at my apartment tomorrow with a clarinet?"  
  
"Nope. Tomorrow's Christmas Day, Josh."  
  
"Oh, and I thought you were a devoted assistant."  
  
"I am, that's why I won't be leaving you alone with Elsie and her cats whilst I drop a clarinet at your place." It's a hidden invite to spend Christmas Day with me and my room mate.  
  
He laughs. Which is a hidden 'yes, I'll come'.  
  
"Come on, sing - you can even pick the song." I offer.  
  
"Okay, God rest yee merry gentlemen, let noth..." he stops and smiles at me, we weave past a few people whilst he yells. "Donna, you said 'join' that implies that you sing too."  
  
"I will do, get to the chorus."  
  
"Okay...O star of wonder,"  
  
I join in, all be it a little late on each line. It still sounds good. We finish as many verses as we can remember.  
  
"You know, you can sing quite well Josh." I complimented him.  
  
He holds the hospital door open for me. "But you're better." he tells me.  
  
"True."  
  
We laugh. The Salvation Army are playing in the hospital entrance hall. I drag Josh through the door to the emergency room as fast as I can. I've got his back. 


End file.
